


Daughter of Spring

by Splithairtheory



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2020-07-08 21:04:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19876060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Splithairtheory/pseuds/Splithairtheory
Summary: A story about Tamlins daughter and how a mysterious threat pushes her out of the life she knows. In the face of tragedy she is forced to grow and reveal parts of herself that she has kept hidden from the world. She also becomes aware of depths in herself that she has suppressed her entire life, depths that when traversed is revelaed to be much deeper and darker than she ever could have thought.





	1. Chapter one

The dining hall is alight with the colors of the sunset, deep red curtains drawn back and the long table decorated with flowers in full bloom - flowers that never needed to be changed or tended - Kore stands by the short end of the table, studying the light reflecting in a silver fork. Her honey blonde hair falls freely over her shoulders, almost reaching below her knees, and her brown eyes are focused on a spot somewhere far away. Tamlin, the high lord, her father, is standing on the other end of the table considering her with a stern gaze. 

“There will be political delegation coming this afternoon, I expect you to be on your best behavior.” 

“Yes father.” 

The girl flinches and lifts her gaze, looking through the window behind her father. 

“I mean, of course, my high lord...” 

Tamlin merely nods in approval and takes his seat, Kore remains standing a few seconds before sitting down. A servant materializes and offer her tea, sugar and milk on a tray. Kore grabs a scone. 

“Don’t be late.” 

“Yes high lord.” 

“Don’t speak unless spoken to.” 

“Yes high lord.” 

“Don’t repeat the same phrase over and over again.” 

“... Narurally, my lord.” 

Seemingly satisfied Tamlin nods and waves at a servant that is by his side in seconds. 

The breakfast proceeds in heavy silence. Kore wonders where the political delegation may be from. She also wonders if she should ask her father, test her luck, but after witnessing him more or less destroy his toast, she decides she’d rather not. 

-*-

The delegation turns out to be from the night court. _Well that explain things._ If it were something that would put Tamlin in a mood, it was the night court. Apperantly there was bad blood and quite a bit of history, although Kore was a bit fuzzy on the details. Communication was scarce between father and daughter, especially regarding four topics: 

1\. Kore’s mother. 

2\. The most northern court.

3\. The room filled with paintings that her father kept locked for some reason. 

4\. Every other consivable topic. 

But especially the first three. Kore learnt the hard way not to bring those up. She also learnt to always be on time, punctuality was maybe one of the few things her father actuallly appreciated. So she made sure to be fifteen minutes early, sitting neatly at a divan in the reception room.

Her handmaiden had braided her hair and arranged it like a crown around her head. Kore herself picked out a white dress - a bit less frilly than most she owned, but frilly none the less - with a thick, green belt and a gathered skirt. She was not quite sure what she was aiming for, to impress or to be unseen, her fathers intentions was often hard to decipher. So Kore landed somewhere in between, _hopefully father will be pleased._

As she waits she catches her own reflection in a round mirror across the room. She looks small on the large divan, a little thing easily overlooked and lost, she straightens a bit. 

In a few minutes Tamlin arrives, dressed in fine clothing and being uncharacteristicly knife-less. As he sees Kore he smiles. 

“On time, as always.” 

Kore beams at this rare praise and stands up to join her father, one step behind, shin raised and eyes downcast.

So they stand when the guests arrive, to greet them welcome to Rose-hall. 


	2. Chapter 2

First impressions are very important, they may determine entire future relationships, that’s a lesson Kore’s teacher in politics (and geography, _and_ etiquette) has drilled in to her. And the political delegation from the night court, they made a lasting first impression, to say the least. Not only did they not deign to use the front door - no, they appeared out of thin air trailing darkness and speckles of light - they where also dressed in sleek black clothing, circlets gleaming upon their brows and silver details shined to a glow, like two dark pillars they stood in the otherwise light and colorful environment. Kore felt her smile slip for a second but managed in the last moment to uphold the facade. 

“Welcome, to the spring court.” Tamlin gave them a tight lipped smile that looked more like a frown. “It has been some time.” 

The female of the pair looked at him with deep blue eyes. Her face was all angles, high cheekbones and light brown hair that curled around her pointy ears, the circlet dipping into a arrow between her eyebrows. Her smile was equally sharp. 

“Tamlin, you have not changed a lot, unfortunately.” 

Kore balked at the obvious insult but reigned in her own expression to study her father’s, who was hiding his anger rather poorly. 

“If you think you can come here, insult me...”

”Now, now Tamlin, it’s all in good spirit. All little bit of banter among old friends.” The male’s voice came out like a slow drawl, Kore got a weird feeling of being watched, even if no one’s eyes were directed at her. In fact, everyone seemed pretty occupied with staring each other down, you could practically cut the tension with a knife. Eventually the female said lightly, with perhaps a hint of sarcasm: 

“Well this is delightful but I’d rather not start a war before dinner, we haven’t even gotten through the introductions for cauldrons sake.” She looks at Kore who gets the sudden urge to hide. 

“Hi, I’m Feyre and who may you be?” 

Kore is slightly taken aback by the question, this is not the formal proceedings she’s sure, but she can’t just ignore the question. That would be rude. 

“Ah.. Hello, I am the daughter of the high lord, pleased to meet you.” Kore curtsies and briefly wonders if it’s proper to not call someone by their title at a political meeting - especially five minutes within meeting each other. 

“Your name dear.” 

“My name- my name is Kore.” 

She glances at Tamlin, who’s looking expectantly on her. _Don’t mess this up._

“How old are you Kore?” 

“19.”

Feyre looks at her thoughtfully. 

“Just like ours then, tell me do you get out often?” 

“Ah, yes. Yes I do, every day I take a walk in the garden. 

For a few seconds everybody’s attention is on her, a feeling wholly alien and equally frightening to Kore, before Feyre breaks the moment with a: 

“I see.” And the meeting continues as if the interlude never happened. That is, a lot of thinly veiled insults, suppressed emotions (rage), indignation from both parties and eventually: dinner. 

Dinner was... dinner was something and Kore was actually relieved when she was excused early by a fuming Tamlin. She’d lost her appetite by the third mysteriously exploding pastry anyway. 

“Thank you high lord.” Kore nods at her father who does not stop looking at the guests. “I bid you all goodnight.” 

She leaves the room well aware of two pair of eyes boring in to her neck, but she pays them no mind and focuses on gliding out of the room. Through to be told, she was also a bit tired, it has been an eventful day. 


	3. Chapter three

Kore could not simple stop thinking about yesterday’s meeting, so much so that her teacher, Kalliand, interrupted his lesson in ‘political relationships’ to ask what’s wrong. 

“You’re just so distracted.” He looks at her with large, dark eyes. Kalliand has green skin and wings that has a tendency to flutter when he’s worried or upset, which they did now. 

“I don’t know.” Thankful for a break in a less than exciting lecture, Kore puts down her pen and furrows her eyebrows.  
“It was just a while since I was out.” 

“But you took a walk in the garden today!” Kalliand looks at her concerned, Kore merely sighs.

“You know what I mean.” 

Now it’s Kalliands turn to release a gust of air, his wings appears to suffer from a spastic attack on his back. 

“Alright, you know I can’t stop you. I’ll cover for you, if anyone asks.” 

Kore stands up and flings her arms around Kalliand who pats her akwardly on the back. 

“Yes, yes, you’re welcome, just be carful. Don’t get in to trouble, to much anyway.” 

Kore releases her teacher. 

“Thank you.” She tries to express her gratitude but are unable to find the right words. “Thank you.” Is what she eventually settles on, a second time. 

Then she turns around and runs out of the room, Kalliands voice following her out in the corridor. 

“But you know how I feel about it!” 

-*-

Kore closes the door to her room. It is spacious and decorated with beautiful paintings, plush furniture and sheer fabrics. Buoquets with flowers in vibrant colors sits on every available area. Outside her large windows, covering the entire right wall, the sky is quickly darkening. She forces herself to wait until she can’t see anything but her reflection in the glas before she swings a panel open and sits on the edge. 

Then she jumps and utters a soft “right!”, she runs back over the cold floor to the door and locks it before returning to the window. Smiling in excitement, from ear to ear, a truly animalistic grin...

Kore releases the windowsill and falls in to the night, but when she lands she is no longer Kore: the daughter of a high lord. She is well and truly

free.


	4. Chapter 4

In the place of a girl stands a white beast with sulphur eyes and a head adorned with horns black as night. It surveys the dark garden, letting its gaze drift over orderly rows of flowerbeds and sheared hedges, before it takes a final sniff in the air and trots down the gravelled path. Despite its size, the creature – or rather Kore – makes barely a sound, treading carefully as if the rocks beneath her paws where glass rather than crushed marble. After a while Kore diverges from the path, picking up the pace as she moves over the neatly cut grass. She steps over two decorative streams – something she’s never allowed to do normally, usually she has to use the small bridges which are as quaint as they are ridiculous – before she reaches a wall. It’s three meters tall with iron spikes pointing ominously at the sky, at that moment the clouds part and the garden is illuminated by cold light. For a moment, anyone that strolled by could have seen Kore – unlikely but possible, the guards had their rounds after all – but before that could happen, she makes a great leap and disappears over the wall.

Kore is immediately in motion after touching ground on the other side, being this close to the manor for too long is risky, Tamlin might sense her – but he’s usually asleep around this time – and there are guards constantly patrolling outside the garden wall. She moves quietly, staying away from spots of moonlight, looking for a prey but not necessarily attention. It has been a long time since she ventured beyond the manor’s grounds in this form, or ventured beyond the manor’s grounds at all. Kore is bound by her lessons; they take up almost all of her time and they include everything from politics to etiquette. Tamlin also prefers to keep her at the manor – sometimes she thinks that’s why she has so many lessons – and he claims he sees no reason for her to be anywhere else. Kore doubts her father is entirely honest, but she is prepared to believe he has his reasons for not telling her the truth. This nagging suspicion is the only reason she is able to go out on these nightly excursions. Because more than anything she’d hate to betray Tamlin’s trust, to see him upset, to make him disappointment, yet… Kore has her reasons too, for sneaking out in to the night. All the guilt and fear melts away as the crisp air flows in to her lungs. She lets all of her worldly problems scatter in the breeze, replaced by the soft sound of her paws hitting the earth, the smell of hundreds of hidden animals – both nocturnal and not – and the intoxicating feeling of freedom. Kore picks up her pace - unable to resist anymore - and runs like a lightning bolt through the night, skipping over boulders and logs, keeping a fairly straight line no matter what came in her way. Even when she hears the water and sees the banks of the river she doesn’t slow down. She’d never slow down, not for anything. For a moment hesitation seizes her – the river is very broad and the currents strong – but then she’s at the riverbank and the moment is over.

She jumps.

During a few glorious seconds she sails through the air, the water roaring beneath her like a wild animal. She sees the other side, it’s pretty far away – perhaps too far away – and she starts having second thoughts as her arc begins its downward slope. _Oh cauldr-_ Kore hits the water with an impressive belly flop, for a second all she’s aware of is the coursing water around her and the sudden lack of noise. Then the darkness hits her. And the cold. Kore’s acutely aware of her burning lungs and the violent currents tugging her in every direction, she starts kicking upwards and even if it’s only a meter away, surface couldn’t seem farther away. She does reach the surface and takes a few desperate mouthfuls of air before she starts struggling towards the edge. Kore travelled quite a distance from where she fell in, to a place where the water is calmer. After reaching solid ground – and undignifiedly crawling up from the water – Kore shakes of most of the water before collapsing in an exhausted pile of wet fur and mud. She stays there for a while, listening to her own beating hart – from either excitement or fear, Kore didn’t know, maybe it was both – until it slows down and she drifts of in to a light slumber.

Kore is awoken by the smell of blood. A bit disoriented she stands up and notes that her pelt has taken on a darker shade of white, with a few spots of intermingling grey. Oh well. At least she’s alive. Dragging her thoughts away from her own appearance, Kore focuses on the reason she’s awake.

Blood.

Normally she’d stay away from wounded animals – there is usually another predator around – but there is something odd about the smell, it’s unlike any animal she’s encountered before and at the same time oddly familiar. Curiosity taking the best of her, Kore begins walking towards the source.

It leads her to a shallow hole hidden behind a thicket of fern. Approaching slowly, Kore sees dark spots on the green leaves. The smell - or rather stench - is much stronger now, blocking out all other scents from the forest. Eventually the origin is revealed. Kore rears back in terror. Without thinking she runs back to the river, following it to the same spot where she fell in and rushes home. Not daring to look back or slow down.

In case whatever killed that guard was still around.


	5. Chapter 5

Kore wakes up in her bedroom bathing in sunlight, she remembers coming through the window, although everything after the dead guard was a blur. She lays in her own queen-sized bed, staring at the ivory roof. She’s immersed in the lazy, serene atmosphere of late spring morning. She takes a long breath.  
Images of a slit throat and green leaves sprouting from pale skin flashes before her eyes. Kore covers her face, doing her best to dispel the unwelcome images, but they seem to only grow stronger in the darkness. Ice spreads through her veins, numbing her body and slowing down her thoughts. Suddenly seized by an urgent restlessness she flings herself from the bed and begins looking for clothes, she’d washed and changed the night before (since she couldn’t fall asleep anyway), and her hair was still damp, leaving wet spots on her white nightgown.  
Looking through all of her clothes – a forest of pastel fabric and long ribbons – she can’t decide what to wear. Truthfully, she’d rather not think about it and just throw on what she’d worn the day before, but that would certainly signal that something was wrong. Kore had never worn the same dress two days in a row – as was the norm for noble ladies – and is not really in the mood to answer the questions that would arise.  
Eventually settling on a powder blue dress with lots of frills on the bodice, Kore calls for breakfast. She sits down in a large, soft armchair and opens a book on Prythian’s history – that she’s left out on her writing desk a few days ago – immersing herself in wars, former rulers and stormy relationships. So unlike to calm that has reigned over Prythian for centuries. A soft knocking drags Kore back to the present.  
“Come in.”  
Melisa – a redheaded fairy with skin resembling bark – appears in the doorway, balancing a tray of tea and porridge.  
“Good morning my lady, how was your night?”  
Kore freezes for a moment, before gathering herself and answers as the handmaiden places the tray on the table besides her.  
“I had trouble sleeping, although I feel well rested now.”  
Melisa pours tea in to the cup.  
“Is that why you didn’t join your father for breakfast my lady?” Melisa seems to have a short internal debate. “It’s unusual for you to sleep in, if you don’t mind me saying that, you’re always so punctual.”  
Kore studies the fairy that has been her handmaiden ever since she was five, they had never been anything but formal towards each other and Kore didn’t really know anything about her. Yet, was there a hint of worry in Melisa’s voice? The cold feeling that’s been hunting Kore the entire morning is suddenly gone and a genuine smile tugs at her lips.  
“Yes, and I wanted to catch up on my studies over a cup of tea. Thank you, Melisa.”  
Melisa looks almost stricken before she mumbles a quick:  
“Enjoy your breakfast my lady.” And disappears from the room.  
Kore had yet to leave her room as she sat pouring over her history books, the tea growing cold beside her. A knock makes her look up and say:  
“Come in!”  
Kalliand enters the room, visibly flustered.  
“Young lady, why didn’t you come to your lesson this morning? Are you perhaps feeling ill?” He stops a few steps away from her, his sheer wings quivering. Kore knows the real cause for her teachers concern, but she’s not in the mood for the scolding she’d get if she tells him the truth. Or even half of the truth. So, she shuts her book, placing it on the table and puts on a façade of the regretful student. Although she’s not sure of how convincing it is.  
“I’m terribly sorry, it won’t happen again.”  
Kalliand studies her tired face and sighs.  
“I was very worried when I heard you’d been absent during breakfast, especially when I heard about what’s being going on… If I knew I would have never let you go out last night.” He whispers the last part, managing to sound as if he was reprimanding both her and himself.  
“What? What do you mean?” Kore leans forward, lowering her voice as well.  
“I don’t know everything; however, I do know that a guard is dead and that it’s serious. Tamlin might…” Kalliand cuts himself of abruptly as Melisa enters the room.  
“… you better have finished chapter three and four by Thursday. By then we will begin with the geography of Xian. That is all, my lady.” He does a curt bow and hurries out of the room.  
Melisa steps out of his way and then walks up to Kore’s side.  
“Shall I take your tray my Lady?”  
“Yes, please.”  
As Melisa closes the door, Kore does not pick up the history book again, instead she ponders on what Kalliand was about to say and if she really has to read chapter three and four until Thursday.


	6. Chapter 6

Kore didn’t need to wonder too long on what Kalliand almost revealed to her, seeing that the very next day Tamlin calls her to his study, a rare and nerve-racking occurrence. The study’s green walls are scarcely decorated and the room is dominated by a large table in the middle, overwrought with papers and maps. A desk made from dark wood stands against the opposite wall from the door and the chamber is tall with a few windows just beneath the ceiling, which gives the impression of standing in a well or a deep grave. Kore feels as if she cannot escape.  
However, the sensation of being trapped is greatly contrasted by the overwhelming happiness of gaining her father’s attention and the desire to please him. All of these emotions are messily packaged in Kore’s ever-growing nervousness, creating a lump in the pit of her stomach. The rather extreme emotional reaction is tightly connected to the high lord’s study, a room Kore has only entered five times in her life. One reason might be that it’s Tamlin’s domain, perhaps more than the entirety of the Spring court. This is where he rules from, this is where he makes plans, this is where he eats most of his meals, this is even where he sleeps from time to time. More than anything this is where he lives his life. Away from Kore. The only reason he has ever called for his daughter was to either praise or rebuke her. Kore feels as if it’s both a privilege and a verdict standing before his desk. Tamlin shifts through some papers, seemingly unaware of her presence. The silence stretches in to an eternity and a sweat droplet slides down Kores back, she stares fixatedly at the carpet.  
“Kore.”  
Kore looks up and accidently meets her father’s eyes, she averts her gaze quickly.  
“You called for me, high lord.”  
“Yes, I did.” Tamlin pauses, furrowing his brows he looks to the side, his skin is ashen and there’s dark shadows beneath his eyes. “I wanted to ask you, whether you wanted to go to the summer court for a while?”  
Kore blinks.  
“The… the summer court?” Her father has never, ever asked her what she want’s before and she has never left the spring court either. What’s happening? “I suppose, but… why?”  
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” He stands up and walks around the desk, stopping two steps from Kore. He gingerly places a hand on her shoulder. “But trust me when I say it’s for your best.” Kore’s eyes widen, hazy memories of a warm embrace and simpler times comes to the surface.  
“I understand, I would love to go to the Summer court.” Kore says this calmly, even if her hart is almost bursting from excitement. For the first time in her life she’s going to travel. For the first time she’ll see another court rather than read about them. For the first time in a long, long time she shared a moment of affection with her father, no matter how small.  
Tamlin smiles a small relieved smile and steps back, her shoulder feels peculiarly cold when he takes his hand away.  
“Then you will leave in two days, so I suggest you start packing.” He starts walking back to his chair behind the desk. “A guard will accompany you; his name is Alvar. You can leave now.  
“Yes f- my high lord.” Kore curtsies and swiftly walks back to her room, heart thumping the entire way.  
For the first time in her life, something new is happening.  
-*-  
Two days later  
Kore stands on the gravelyard before the manor - her luggage is stacked around her like mountains made from kofferts and bandboxes – and three servants are currently trying to fit said luggage in to a single carriage. Kore is not sure that’s possible. Besides herself and the three servants Melisa and Kalliand is there to see her off, Tamlin is busy. Not that Kore minds it.  
“Farewell my lady.” Melisa offers Kore a sad smile, who returns it.  
“Farewell Melisa.”  
“You better be on your best behaviour and not get in to any trouble.” Kalliand gives Kore a hard stare - that just makes him look more frazzled than anything – and almost manages to sound stern. He’s also holding a suspicious stack of books; which Kore hopes isn’t the geography books she ‘forgot’ in her room.  
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” With a lump in her throat she nods at Kalliand, then Melisa. “Goodbye and…” Kore’s not sure what she’s going to say next, there is so much that she wants to tell them but can’t. For one thing she hasn’t told Kalliand that she saw the dead guard – she kept telling herself it was the wrong time – and now it’s too late.  
“And… take care, until next time.” At that very moment a high fae exits the manor. Dressed in leather armour and equipped with a sword, Kore can only assume it’s Alvar. He doesn’t look happy. Kore inwardly flinches at the harsh expression on his face – which is not softened by the scar that draws a jagged line from his hairline to his jaw – and the fact that he has the structure of a bear. Is this the person that’s going to follow her around? The trip to summer court suddenly seems a lot less exciting. Alvar approaches them swiftly and the closer he gets; the more unnerved Kore becomes by the absolute hostility in his eyes. He doesn’t introduce himself as he reaches them, he barely even says hi. Instead he aims those dark voids of eyes at Kore.  
“Are you Tamlins daughter?”  
Kore does not answer at first. She is a bit too baffled to do so. Instead a most undignified sound escapes her lips in the form of a strangled yelp, but she quickly gathers herself. Well, at least she tries to. She glances desperately at Kalliand for aid, but he only dumps the books in her arms.  
“Just because you’re away doesn’t mean you can slack off on your studies, expect an examination of the Illyrian wars during the second age when you come back.” Then he sets of towards the manor. Kore swallows, there’s not much help to be found there. She redirects her attention towards Alvar who looks slightly irked at being talked over. A small sweat droplet slipped down Kore’s neck.  
“Yes, my name is Kore, my father is indeed Tamlin. May I ask who- “  
“I’m under orders to protect you, will you accept my services?”  
“Wha-” Kore has always been surrounded by guards, more or less, but she’s never met a guard this forth spoken or rude. She tries to square her shoulders and look confident even if she’s shrivelling up on the inside.  
“Eh… yes?”  
“Good, then we should leave.” Alvar adjusts the sack on his back, Kore notices it now for the first time, simply because it’s so small in comparison to her own luggage that is almost ready for the travel. The cart is full and the two servants are holding a lonely bandbox, mumbling among themselves as they examine the blue box from every angle.  
“Oh, yes… I mean…” Kore clears her throat. “We shall depart now for the summer court.” Alvar grunts in response, something that makes Kore feel both frustrated and indignant. No one has ever spoken to her like this before and she’s quite frankly at loss what to do. Her fowl mood is reflected in her voice as she grumbles at the servants.  
“Leave it.”  
Alvar says nothing. Kore tries to decide whether he is simply dumb or ignorant about court rules as they winnow away.


	7. Chapter 7

Kore’s first impression of the summer court was slightly dampened by Alvar’s colourful swearing – words that would make a sailor blush almost makes Kore faint as she hears them for the first time, but she has to admit that her curiosity is awakened – as they land a few paces in to the ocean instead of on the beach. Rocky cliffs surrounded the secluded place, greenery sprouting from their crests. On the sand out of the waters reach stands a high fae with dark skin and white hair, dressed in loose white clothing. She’s tall and lithe, with a face that shows little emotion as Kore and Alvar wade towards the shore and then finally stands before her with clothes drenched to their knees.   
“Welcome to the summer court, my name is Aurélia, I will be your guide for today. High Lord Tarquin sends his deepest apologizes that he couldn’t greet you welcome himself; he is unfortunately occupied by a political delegation.” The female’s voice is deep and harmonious, reminding Kore of the waves hitting the shore behind her. She also finds herself drawn to her eyes, golden as the sand and surrounded by perfectly white eyelashes. Kore, who is already sweating on account of Alvar and the heat, suddenly feels more nervous than ever before on that day. Aurélia looks down, taking in Kore and Alvars soaked feet, a small smile tugging at her lips.   
“And he apologizes for not properly informing you about the tides.”  
A blush paint Kore’s cheeks pink, as she tries to look dignified with her shoes full of sand and saltwater.   
“I accept Lord Tarquin’s apology and I am grateful for his hospitality. I’m also obligated to inform you that my luggage hasn’t arrived yet and…” Kore looks down.   
“Ah… We’ll find a solution to that, but let’s not stand her any longer. Take my hand so we can winnow to the palace.”   
As Kore grabs her right hand, Alvar takes Aurélia’s left without a word – looking as if he had been asked to put his hand in a hungry bears mouth - and the sand disappears beneath their feet.   
-*-  
Adriata turns out to be absolutely breath-taking. As the sand is replaced by polished marble, the first thing Kore notices is the plants surrounding the balcony they are standing on. Unlike anything she has ever seen before – they are different from spring court’s small forest flowers and well pruned bushes - these plants cling to the pillars and walls, sprouting in every direction and presenting small explosions of colour. Then she lifts her gaze and sees the city, a mass of roofs and gardens intermingled by wide streets and deep alleyways cut off from the sea by a strip of gold. A gathering of ships drags her eyes to the port, bustling with activity as boats of every size and from every corner of the world arrive to Adriata. A perfectly blue sky stretches like an endless dome over the city and Kore doesn’t look away until a gentle hand on her shoulder brings her back to the balcony.   
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Aurélia looks fiercely proud as she gazes over the sprawling city, her hand is warm on Kore’s shoulder.   
“Yes, it is.” Kore’s hart makes a tiny leap when Aurélia looks down at her and smiles.   
“Now.” Aurélia takes a step away from Kore who immediately misses the weight of her hand on her shoulder. “Shall we find you some dry clothes?”   
-*-  
Summer court fashion is very different from Spring court fashion. Where Kore is used to intricate gowns - gowns that she has to take a deep breath in before sitting down – the summer court dress is much more simplistic, a garment made of a thin fabric layered until it’s no longer transparent, clenched at the waist with a golden band. Kore marvels at the feeling of air against her ankles, no longer constrained in tight socks and polished shoes. She wiggles her toes in the sandals.   
She is standing in an open room, sparsely but tastefully furnished, studying herself in a full body mirror. Her formerly flawless hairdo has started to come undone – after a brief struggle with the gown it just wasn’t what I used to be – so Kore starts tugging at pins until the entire thing collapses and her hair cascades down. Just as she has done this she realizes she has no idea how to redo the hairstyle.   
So she leaves it that way.


	8. Chapter 8

Kore spends quite some time after that in the room, so much so she begins to fear she has been forgotten. She wants to step out and explore, but she doesn’t dare in case she wanders off to a place she’s not supposed to be. Instead she settles on a white divan, making herself comfortable and falling asleep. Her dreams are filled by crisp night air, heart beats and a gilded cage.

Light knocking on the door tugs her from her sleep. She quickly sits up and smooths down her hair. Then she tries to look at least a little bit composed and calls out:   
“Come in!” A fae with large black eyes and horns curling from his head steps in and does a little bow.   
“Hello my lady! I’m Katlir, Aurélia is for the moment occupied so I was sent to take you to the gardens. Lord Tarquin wishes to greet you himself.”  
Kore smiles pleasantly and stands up to follow the servant, or what she assumes to be a servant.   
“Of course, I’m ready to leave now.”   
“Excellent, just follow me my lady!”  
  


As they walk through the open corridors Kore notes that the sun has begun to set and that the air is a tad bit chiller. Despite that she doesn’t freeze in her light clothing.   
“Are you cold my lady?” Katlir asks politely. He seems young, even younger than Kore, she wonders what his life may look like.   
“No, it’s fine.” She looks at the little fae and notices light freckles on his dark blue skin. “It is actually quite a bit colder in spring court.”   
“Really? How do you manage?” He gives her a crooked smile that elicits a laugh out of Kore.   
“We just dress properly.” She looks out over the town and the sea, tinted red by the approaching sunset. “Although it is not as cold as the winter court.”  
“Have you been there?”   
“No, but I’ve read about it.”   
They fall in to comfortable silence and continue to walk for a while. Kore marvels at the fact that she can be so loose with a servant, she hasn’t been this casual with anyone, even with Elisa.   
“Have you been to many places?” Katlir asks as they step through a door and exits the open corridor, now being decidedly inside – the entirety of summer court castle seems to be a grey area in that matter.   
“No.” Kore’s tone is light but she really doesn’t wish to talk about how she’s spent her entire life in Rose hall.   
“Me neither.” Katlir stops by a door. “But I wish to travel one day.”   
Kore nods and Katlir opens the door to the gardens and gestures for her to step through. Before she does, she looks at the young fairy and says:   
“It’s been nice talking to you, thank you.” Then she leaves him in the corridor and steps out in a garden unlike anything she has ever seen.

-*-

There is nothing neat or orderly about the way the plants are arranged, they do not sit in straight rows, they do not even stop to consider to do so. It is a forest of trees with large, pointy leaves, through which Kore can see the stars. The flowers are not tethered to the ground, they cling to the trees, the walls and whatever can bring them closer to the sky. The ground is covered in moss and tiny bushes that makes everything seem soft and green, wherever Kore looks there is a plant or a flower peeking out of a crack or a crevice like a tiny surprise. The path she stands on is covered in smooth black rocks - almost perfectly round – and curves around the trees’ roots so she can not see where it ends. It is quiet, save for the soft hum of insects and waves in the background, and Kore absentmindedly pats her hair as she gets the sudden urge to explore. Instead she starts slowly walking down the path, trying to tell herself it’s unladylike to take of one’s shoes so one can feel the rocks beneath their feet. After walking, what Kore thinks, is fairly deep in to the garden she finds a pond, black and mirrorlike in the middle of a clearing.   
“Ah, so you found your way here.” 


	9. Chapter 9

Tarquin sits on a slab of stone by the water. He is dressed in a light blue robe the same colour as his eyes, detailed with golden thread creating patterns reminiscent of a dragonfly and around his neck is a thick golden chain from which a blood red stone hang. His white hair is gathered in a braid which falls over his shoulder.   
“I had help from a servant.” Kore curtsies and remain standing, this is very far from what she imagined meeting the high lord of summer would be like. Tarquin tilts his head slightly, face perfectly stoic and says in a voice like a humid summer night:   
“Who may this servant be?”   
Kore realizes with a start she has been tested.   
“His name is Katlir and he is a very pleasant young fairy.”  
Tarquin doesn’t move a muscle and Kore starts feeling a little nervous. The way his eyes is fixated on a spot slightly right to her head without blinking is a bit unnerving.   
“What more did he tell you?” He asks in a soft voice.   
“That- that he wishes to travel someday.”   
Tarquin hums and finally smiles, tight lipped and polite, but pleasant none the less.   
“You can come closer, if you wish.”   
Kore hesitates for a second before she takes a few uncertain steps closer and settles on a respectable distance of three meters. Probably a bit to far, but to be honest, she is finding Tarquin to be a bit intimidating.   
“Do you know why you were sent here?”  
“No.”  
Tarquin hums and looks down on the tranquil water.   
“I was hoping you could tell me; you see I just don’t believe the explanation I received in the letter from Tamlin.” He suddenly directs his sharp gaze to Kore who has to stop herself from flinching. “Is he the kind of person to send his daughter to a different court, just so she may learn and amuse herself in a big city?” Shaking his head, he looks back down.   
“Maybe he didn’t tell you, maybe…” He sighs. “I don’t know him well; I have not seen him for centuries. Maybe… he has changed.”   
“I…” Kore swallows, her heart is fluttering and she is aware of an aching in her chest, she wants to know more. “What do you mean?”   
“No one has told you?”   
Kore doesn’t know what she is supposed to know but no one has told her so she just shakes her head.   
“Then we shall talk another time, it is already late. Katlir will show you to your room.”   
Kore courtesies and walks back the same path to the door, Katlir is waiting in the corridor and they begin walking in silence. Thoughts swirl around in Kores head as she tries to make sense of the strange conversation she just had, trying to decipher every hidden meaning, every word unsaid and all the secrets buried beneath so many years.  
She is so absorbed she doesn’t notice when Katlir stops by her room.   
“Hey.” He says amused and yanks her back to reality. Kore looks at his hesitant grin.  
“Ah, I’m sorry, there is just… A lot on my mind.”   
“I can see that… Well, have a good night’s rest.”  
“The same goes for you Katlir, good night.” Kore opens the door and enters her chambers.


End file.
